Watch Mean Machine

The movie Mean Machine, released in 2001, is a British sports comedy-drama directed by Barry Skolnick. The story is adapted from the 1974 movie, The Longest Yard, which is considered to be one of the classics of American cinema. Mean Machine is a story about a former professional footballer, Danny Meehan, played by Vinnie Jones, who is sentenced to prison for a violent assault on a police officer.

The movie opens with Danny Meehan's downfall. An English national football team member, Danny is arrested for a confrontation with a police officer at a bar. He is sentenced to three years in prison, where he spends his time playing football with the inmates. The prison governor, Doc, played by David Hemmings, approaches Danny with a proposition to build and coach a team of prisoners to play against the guards. Initially, Danny refuses the offer, but he later realizes that his only hope for getting out of prison early is to accept the offer and tutor the team.

Danny accepts the offer and begins to assemble his team. He discovers that the inmates are not very enthusiastic about football, and he has to work hard to persuade them to take it seriously. Nevertheless, Danny manages to assemble a team of the prison's best players, men with strong personalities and different strengths. Among them is a bald-headed mute who communicates through his tattoos, a kleptomaniac who steals anything that isn't nailed down, and a Jamaican who holds a grudge against the guards.

At first, the team struggles to come together and get along, with many clashes and fights along the way. However, they eventually begin to bond and improve their skill set, resulting in a series of victories against other prison teams. However, when the guards team is beaten, they are not pleased with the inmate's victory and plan to ruin the team's escalating success.

During the matches, the team of inmates face many obstacles and challenges, including their own personal issues, extensive opposition by the guards, internal conflicts, and even a rigged game to ensure their defeat. Throughout the matches, the competition is intense, with high-risk tackles, aggressive play and corrupt referees that threaten the integrity of the game.

The movie is an uplifting tale of redemption and hope, with excellent performances from the cast. Vinnie Jones gives an excellent performance as Danny Meehan, delivering an authentic and realistic portrayal of a professional footballer who falls from grace. Supporting performances from David Kelly as the enthusiastic soccer fan with a troubled heart, who roots for the underdog team and Jason Statham, who is one of the inmates aspiring to be a professional footballer, add to the overall storyline and character development.

The film is full of humor and camaraderie and is an enjoyable watch. The director, Barry Skolnick, successfully combines a sports film and a prison drama, resulting in an exciting and stimulating movie. The soccer action scenes are well choreographed, and the soundtrack is upbeat, with tracks from Oasis, Underworld, and Fatboy Slim.

In conclusion, Mean Machine is a fantastic film with a good mix of drama, humor, and football. It has all the elements of a classic sports movie, but it also adds a unique dimension of a prison setting. The film is action-packed, humorous, and has many heartwarming moments. If you're a fan of sports movies, this one is definitely worth a watch!

Mean Machine is a 2001 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 41 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4 and a MetaScore of 45.